C5 Coupe vs. Ford Lightning
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 295
Likes: 0
From: Miami FL
C5 Coupe vs. Ford Lightning
Who would win...???
99 C5 MN6, intake, exhaust mods only.
Lightning has about 410 -420 RP (Rodent Power) s/c and 3.73 gears...
From standing or rolling...any input.
99 C5 MN6, intake, exhaust mods only.
Lightning has about 410 -420 RP (Rodent Power) s/c and 3.73 gears...
From standing or rolling...any input.
Intermediate
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 25
Likes: 1
Is that HP to the wheels or flywheel? My '01 with bolt-ons made 440/537 to the wheels and ran 12.3xx @ 110 in full trim on Nittos. If it's 420 to the crank, you're pretty well matched. If it's to the wheels, he may pull you. Remember..Lightnings are pretty easy to launch so watch it if you're going from a dig.
What kind of times does your car run?
What kind of times does your car run?
5th Gear
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 5
Likes: 0
Z-06
I got intpo it w/ a Lighting @ about 60 mph I shifted down to 4rth a walked off and left him.. I wasn't very impressed. I could have gone into 2nd. it was stock at the time '03.
Originally Posted by Dan SS2471
Is that HP to the wheels or flywheel? My '01 with bolt-ons made 440/537 to the wheels and ran 12.3xx @ 110 in full trim on Nittos. If it's 420 to the crank, you're pretty well matched. If it's to the wheels, he may pull you. Remember..Lightnings are pretty easy to launch so watch it if you're going from a dig.
What kind of times does your car run?
What kind of times does your car run?
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 4,251
Likes: 7
From: Woodbridge Ontario
HP to weight ratio would give you the nod.
But don't take the Lightning lightly. They can be suprisingly quick up to highway speeds being automatics and high torque numbers.
Their poor aerodynamics slow it down quickly after that.
Make sure you launch your car well, and shift properly. If you do, it should go down. Mess up the launch, and you'll likely be playing catch-up for most of the run.
But don't take the Lightning lightly. They can be suprisingly quick up to highway speeds being automatics and high torque numbers.
Their poor aerodynamics slow it down quickly after that.
Make sure you launch your car well, and shift properly. If you do, it should go down. Mess up the launch, and you'll likely be playing catch-up for most of the run.
Advanced
Joined: Apr 2005
Posts: 50
Likes: 0
From: Reynoldsburg Oh
Before I got my 01 ZO6, I had an 00 Lightning, bone stock it ran 13.86, doing nothing but lower the tailgate. It is amazing how easy it is to modify one. With a 4lb blower pulley, chip and mass air meter, I ran a 13.04 @105mph with a 1.91 60ft on the stock F1's. The truck is very easy to launch, foot brake to 900 rpms then mash the gas, very little tire spin.
3rd Gear
Joined: Jan 2005
Posts: 3
Likes: 0
550 HP lighting ower
Originally Posted by Tony Hughes
I got intpo it w/ a Lighting @ about 60 mph I shifted down to 4rth a walked off and left him.. I wasn't very impressed. I could have gone into 2nd. it was stock at the time '03.
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
10 Reasons the C6 Z06 is Still A Performance Benchmark After 20 Years
Joe Kucinski
How Much Horsepower Every Corvette Engine "LOST" in 1972
Joe Kucinski
Top 10 DOs and DON'Ts for Protecting Your Convertible Top!
Michael S. Palmer
Top 10 Most Explosive Corvettes Ever Made: Power-to-Weight Ratio Ranked!
Joe Kucinski
150 hp to 1,250 hp: Every Corvette Generation Compared by the Specs That Matter
Joe Kucinski
8 Coolest Corvette Pace Cars (and Replicas) of All Time
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvette Engines RANKED by Peak Torque (70+ Years of Muscle!)
Joe Kucinski
Corvette ZR1X Will Be Pacing the Indy 500, And Could Probably Race, Too!
Verdad Gallardo
Top 10 Corvettes Coming to Mecum Indy 2026!
Brett Foote
Melting Slicks
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 2,521
Likes: 146
From: Watertown CT
I haven't raced a lightning but I have seen a vid of a stock c5 zo6 racing the dodger ram srt, and that's putting out 550HP, (i think) the dodge did pretty good up until highway speeds and the vette started pulling! I'd say you got em!! 
Safety Car
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 4,824
Likes: 351
From: Albuquerque NM
Originally Posted by Mike04
My stock A4 was evenly matched with a Harley Davidson F150, which is very close to the lightning, at freeway+ speeds (closed coarse).
Actually the HD has less boost, less HP, and weighs about 500 pounds more than a Lightning.
If the Lightning is stock, the race is yours to lose.
If he has modded it (very easy to add 100 HP), good luck, you'll need it.
I drag race both, my Lightning is now about 1/10 of a sec quicker than my Vette.
Thread Starter
Racer
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 295
Likes: 0
From: Miami FL
thanks for info gentlemen,
I have a guy at work trying to talk some stuff. I just wanted a little info before I have to wax him.
I have yet to dyno...post some raw numbers on just intake and exhaust mods?
Thanks
I have a guy at work trying to talk some stuff. I just wanted a little info before I have to wax him.
I have yet to dyno...post some raw numbers on just intake and exhaust mods?
Thanks
Race Director
Joined: Sep 2003
Posts: 13,550
Likes: 6
From: Now in God's Country, the Big Sky, Montana!
Cruise-In 7-8-9-10 Veteran
St. Jude Donor '06-'07-'08-'09-'10-'11-'12
Stock to stock, I think the L would take you off the line but the Vette would quickly catch up and take 'em out. L's run a little under 14 in the quarter bone stock. With about $1000 in mods they are a good ways into the 12s. My buddy I go to the track with has one (so I'm not pulling this out of my ****). He sold his Vette to get one. 
And it is possible to get high 11s with bolt ons. 
And it is possible to get high 11s with bolt ons.
Safety Car
Joined: Apr 2003
Posts: 4,251
Likes: 7
From: Woodbridge Ontario
Here's a vid of my stock '03 Z06 vs. my buddies modified Lightning, pulley, chip and full exhaust or at least the ones I know of.
Notice in the vid how the race changes once it gets up to highway speeds.
Save As. . .
Notice in the vid how the race changes once it gets up to highway speeds.
Save As. . .
Last edited by tlaselva; Feb 18, 2006 at 05:47 PM.
Safety Car
Joined: May 2000
Posts: 4,824
Likes: 351
From: Albuquerque NM
Originally Posted by ls1vette97
I've never seen a bolt on lightning do better than mid 12's....
SHOOT//// My Lightning, bolt on only, with stock: heads/block/cams/trans/convertor/etc. runs mid 12's AT 5,320 FEET ALTITUDE. Guys running at lower altitude with my mods are DEEP in the 11's.
Cruising
Joined: Feb 2006
Posts: 10
Likes: 0
From: Kutztown PA
Originally Posted by litnrod
Who would win...???
99 C5 MN6, intake, exhaust mods only.
Lightning has about 410 -420 RP (Rodent Power) s/c and 3.73 gears...
From standing or rolling...any input.
99 C5 MN6, intake, exhaust mods only.
Lightning has about 410 -420 RP (Rodent Power) s/c and 3.73 gears...
From standing or rolling...any input.
Advanced
Joined: Aug 2005
Posts: 87
Likes: 0
I raced my buddy's lightning. We went from a dig, we were even through first(i got some bad wheel hop) but once i hit second I pulled him pretty bad. I had a vararam at the time, I think he had an intake and exhaust. In my opinion, you could take the lightning look at it this way:
Lightning:
power: 410 rwhp
weight: 4670 lbs
weight to power ratio: 11.39
Corvette:
power: with the mods you said I would guess you would have 320 rwhp +-10
weight: 3245 lbs
weight to power ratio: 10.14
Not to mention the corvette is a hell of alot more aerodynamic.
If you race him from a dig it will be a drivers race, but from a high speed roll you will walk the lightning.
Lightning:
power: 410 rwhp
weight: 4670 lbs
weight to power ratio: 11.39
Corvette:
power: with the mods you said I would guess you would have 320 rwhp +-10
weight: 3245 lbs
weight to power ratio: 10.14
Not to mention the corvette is a hell of alot more aerodynamic.
If you race him from a dig it will be a drivers race, but from a high speed roll you will walk the lightning.